It is well known in the art to use the energy of vehicles traveling, such as in braking for example. This is becoming more and more a necessity nowadays considering the increasing electrical consumption of today's vehicles for various electronic devices. Moreover, the also increasing demand of electrical or hybrid vehicles requires designers and engineers to come up with ways to have better and innovative ways of recuperating and storing the energy to be used in a limited space. Considering also that the number of batteries that can be used is limited, other ways of improving energy collecting apparatuses need to be developed and improved. The irregularities of road surfaces offer another source of energy for which efficiency results have been so far too limited for practical use. One should further be aware, as many studies in the art show, that a very high percentage of road irregularities is of amplitude ranging between about 1 mm and about 6 mm.
In the previous art, application for U.S. Patent No. 2003/0034697 of Goldner et al. published on Feb. 20, 2003, discloses an electromagnetic linear generator and shock absorber. That application and the numerous patents referred therein do not provide for a means to maximize or optimize the zone in which the central magnet array assembly operates. Furthermore, the systems presented do not seem to show other considerations such as ensuring the apparatus has a mechanical endurance that is viable over long-lasting mileage and includes a system to switch to an active suspension when the apparatus works outside the preferred operational zone. In Table 4 of the disclosed document, the smaller wire gauge presented is 18 (1 mm diameter or 1 mm×1 mm square cross section) whilst the air gap spacing is no greater than 0.020 inches (approximately 0.5 mm); one must therefore ensure the wire thickness fits along with the air gap suggested and consider the temperature range in which the apparatus operates. In another aspect of the invention the coil windings of this publication are shown positioned side-by-side.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus with a relatively simple configuration.